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Nearly 200 fewer inmates were booked into the Escambia County Jail in the second half of March than in the first half of the month as coronavirus-related shutdowns and stay-at-home orders led to a decrease in arrests.

Records show that 37.5% fewer inmates were booked into the jail from March 16 to 30, compared to March 1 to 15.

Between March 1 and 15, a total of 506 people were booked into the Escambia County Jail, according to records the News Journal obtained through a public records request. From March 16 to 30, when the domino effect of shutdowns began, the total inmates booked into the jail dropped to 316.

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Last year, a total of 518 people were booked into the jail from March 16 to 30, 2019, which was 39% higher than the number of inmates over the same two-week period this year.

Bill Eddins, state attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida, attributed to the decrease in arrests to conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Across the circuit, the fact that we're sheltering at home and that many businesses have shut down — and I'm sure there are other factors — but those two primary factors, have resulted in a decrease in arrests," he told the News Journal.

Eddins estimated the number of arrests throughout the circuit — an area that includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties — had dropped by 50% to 60%.

In Escambia County, Sheriff David Morgan said his agency has observed a noticeable decrease in not only violent crime, but in nearly all crimes. The only exception has been a temporary uptick in burglaries and a slight increase in domestic violence incidents.

"We've seen, because of this coronavirus, a significant drop in crime, except we had an uptick in burglaries there for a little bit, and our domestic violence is upticking for obvious reasons,” Morgan said, explaining the increase in domestic violence can be attributed to people spending more time than usual at home.

ECSO Chief Deputy Chip Simmons compared the effects of the shutdowns, school closings and restrictions caused by the coronavirus to what law enforcement has previously experienced during holidays, another time when many institutions are closed.

"The typical trend is that whenever school is out, we have an uptick in vehicle burglaries, and whenever people are spending a lot of time at home — whether it's the Thanksgiving weekend or any sort of holiday weekend — we typically have a slight increase in domestic violence type cases," Simmons said. "So we were aware of these things, and we were more or less prepared for it."

Authorities said the uptick in burglaries at the outset of the coronavirus shutdowns have been contained with the help of increased patrols.

ECSO school resource officers who cannot perform their normal duties while schools are closed have been reassigned to patrol neighborhoods and other residential areas.

"We are pretty much at full capacity with regards to the number of deputies that we have on the streets," Simmons said, before noting the role citizens themselves have played in the county’s decreased crime rate.

"I think that it's important to give credit where credit is due, and part of the reduction in reported crime has to do with people behaving well. People understand that we have to come together," he said. "I think that people understand that we're going to be judged on the other end of this thing not just by how government reacted, but also how we ended up treating each other. I think people realize that, and you certainly see that manifests itself in the reduction of reported crimes."

Santa Rosa County see slight drop in crime

One county over, the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office has seen a slight decrease in reported crimes during the coronavirus pandemic, according to SRSO spokesman Sgt. Rich Aloy.

"Over a one-month period, crime overall seems to be down or remained flat," he said. "It’s not down by a lot, and some things are up."

For example, between March 5 and April 5, 2019, the SRSO responded to 98 reported thefts. During those same dates this year, deputies responded to 93 thefts.

SRSO deputies have responded to 10 fewer burglaries during the pandemic than they had during the same one-month period last year, Aloy said. Reported disturbances and shoplifting incidents are also down this spring.

However, reports of trespassing and requests for patrols have increased.

"A patrol request encompasses a lot of different things and happens when a deputy goes to an area specifically to secure it, and to drive around and make sure that area is safe," Aloy said. "It’s also when somebody calls and says, ‘Hey, there is some unusual activity out here, can you come look at it?’"

Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.